Featured Research

from universities, journals, and other organizations

Bacterium, fungus team up to cause virulent tooth decay in toddlers

Date:

March 12, 2014

Source:

American Society for Microbiology

Summary:

Early childhood caries, a highly aggressive and painful form of tooth decay that frequently occurs in preschool children, especially from backgrounds of poverty, may result from a nefarious partnership between a bacterium and a fungus, according to new research. The resulting tooth decay can be so severe that treatment frequently requires surgery -- in the operating room.

Early childhood caries, a highly aggressive and painful form of tooth decay that frequently occurs in preschool children, especially from backgrounds of poverty, may result from a nefarious partnership between a bacterium and a fungus, according to a paper published ahead of print in the journal Infection and Immunity.

Related Articles

The resulting tooth decay can be so severe that treatment frequently requires surgery -- in the operating room, says corresponding author Hyun (Michel) Koo of the University of Pennsylvania.

"Our data will certainly open the way to test agents to prevent this disease, and even more intriguing, the possibility of preventing children from acquiring this infection," says Koo.

In the study the investigators showed that infection by S. mutans and C. albicans together doubled the number of cavities, and boosted their severity several-fold in rats.

Koo, of U. Penn's School of Dental Medicine, has spent 15 years studying how microbes construct the biofilms, also known as plaque, that have plagued teeth since H. sapiens invented agriculture, bringing large quantities of starch into the diet. (Caries are common in Neolithic skeletons, but virtually absent from our Paleolithic ancestors.)

The bacterium Streptococcus mutans has long been assumed to be the sole microbial culprit, but Koo and collaborators -- as well as other investigators -- noticed that the fungus, Candida albicans, was almost always present in plaque from cases of early childhood caries. S. mutans sticks to the surfaces of teeth by converting sugars to a sticky glue-like material called extracellular polysaccharide (EPS.) In the mouth, Candida adheres mainly to cheek and tongue, but had rarely been seen in dental plaque.

"However, we and others noticed that Candida was very frequently observed in plaque from patients who have early childhood caries," says Koo. "We were puzzled! Candida usually does not associate with S. mutans, nor does it colonize teeth very effectively."

The investigators discovered that the "exoenzyme" which S. mutans uses to react with sugar to produce EPS, also enables Candida to produce a glue-like polymer in the presence of sugar, allowing it to adhere to teeth, and to bind S. mutans, two abilities it otherwise lacks. Under these circumstances, the fungus now contributes the bulk of the plaque.

"The combination of the two organisms led to a greatly enhanced production of the glue-like polymer, drastically boosting the ability of the bacterium and the fungus to colonize the teeth, increasing the bulk of the biofilms and the density of the infection," says Koo. All that led to greatly elevated accumulation next to the teeth of the acid that dissolves enamel, leading to cavity formation.

"This represents a truly unique physical interaction where a bacterially-produced product attaches to and functions on the surface of an organism from another kingdom, converting this normally innocuous (with respect to teeth) fungus into a fierce stimulator of cariogenic biofilm formation," says Koo. That observation, he says, supports his hypothesis that early childhood caries in toddlers results from infection by both organisms, with frequent exposure to sucrose.

American Society for Microbiology. "Bacterium, fungus team up to cause virulent tooth decay in toddlers." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 March 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140312132625.htm>.

American Society for Microbiology. (2014, March 12). Bacterium, fungus team up to cause virulent tooth decay in toddlers. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 31, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140312132625.htm

American Society for Microbiology. "Bacterium, fungus team up to cause virulent tooth decay in toddlers." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140312132625.htm (accessed March 31, 2015).

More Health & Medicine News

Featured Research

Mar. 31, 2015  During prenatal development, the brains of most animals, including humans, develop specifically male or female characteristics. But scientists have known little about the details of how this ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Babies receiving poor nutrition in the womb tend to be smaller at birth, which has been linked to the development of obesity and other health problems later in life. Researchers continue to discover ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  In addition to their physical injuries, women who are victims of domestic violence are also at a greater risk of mental health problems such as depression and psychotic symptoms. "We studied the ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  New research has scientists re-thinking how a lethal fungus grows and kills immune cells. The study hints at a new approach to therapy for Candida albicans, one of the most common causes of ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  As the United States faces transplant waiting lists that continue to grow longer over time, there is increasing debate about the proper way to incentivize living donations. Due to organ shortages, ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  The most virulent strains of Streptococcus suis, the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in adult humans in parts of southeast Asia and in pigs around the world, are likely to have evolved and ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  A unique pattern of immune molecules in the cerebrospinal fluid of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome have been discovered, providing insights into the basis for cognitive ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Children who get a taste of their parents' wine now and then may be more likely than their peers to start drinking by high school, according to a new report. The findings are based on 561 Rhode ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Scientists have uncovered the unique mechanism of a powerful natural product with wide-ranging antifungal, antibacterial, anti-malaria and anti-cancer effects. The work sheds light on the natural ... full story

Featured Videos

Solitair Device Aims to Takes Guesswork out of Sun Safety

Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Mar. 31, 2015)  The Solitair device aims to take the confusion out of how much sunlight we should expose our skin to. Small enough to be worn as a tie or hair clip, it monitors the user&apos;s sun exposure by taking into account their skin pigment, location and schedule. Matthew Stock reports.
Video provided by Reuters

Soda, Salt and Sugar: The Next Generation of Taxes

Washington Post (Mar. 30, 2015)  Denisa Livingston, a health advocate for the Dinι Community Advocacy Alliance, and the Post&apos;s Abby Phillip discuss efforts around the country to make unhealthy food choices hurt your wallet as much as your waistline.
Video provided by Washington Post

S. Leone in New Anti-Ebola Lockdown

AFP (Mar. 28, 2015)  Sierra Leone imposed a three-day nationwide lockdown Friday for the second time in six months in a bid to prevent a resurgence of the deadly Ebola virus. Duration: 01:17
Video provided by AFP

Feb. 20, 2014  Dental caries, commonly known as tooth decay, is the single most common chronic childhood disease. In fact, it is an infectious disease, new research demonstrates. Mothers with cavities can transmit ... full story

May 1, 2012  Scientists using nanotechology have created the first cavity-filling composite that kills harmful bacteria and regenerates tooth structure lost to bacterial decay. This first-of-a-kind nanocomposite ... full story

Dec. 15, 2010  In a study that the authors describe as lending credence to the idiom, "by the skin of your teeth," scientists are reporting that the protective shield fluoride forms on teeth is up to 100 ... full story

Sep. 16, 2010  There is no apparent link between asthma and tooth decay, according to a new study. The large number of variables involved, including severity of asthma symptoms and the variety of types of treatment ... full story

ScienceDaily features breaking news and videos about the latest discoveries in health, technology, the environment, and more -- from major news services and leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.